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It makes sense, after all what use were the Swordfish and Barracuda?From that article:
"In 1942, Fairey was pushing to build P-51 Mustangs under licence, and it would have made more sense to switch British production to this type."
Is that true?
Fairey was reluctant to build anything other than his own designs. Did something change for them?
"In 1942, Fairey was pushing to build P-51 Mustangs under licence, and it would have made more sense to switch British production to this type."
Let me conclude by saying my Maternal Grandfather was in Europe as an aircraft engineer during the entire war. Unlike most of us, he was there, he spoke to and worked with pilots of many of the types available. He retired here from Kaman Aircraft and Pratt & Whitney and had always remarked that the Spitfire was overrated and actually a rather poor platform in his own considered opinion.
The best engineers in UK and Germany only managed to produce a couple of donkeys like the Bf109 and Spitfire
Another question is "rated by whom" I have heard people on television and radio discussing "Spitfire pilots in the Battle of Britain" as if it was the only RAF plane in the conflict. Similarly, for some, the only escort fighter in Europe was the P51D, it is more photogenic than the P51 B/C and so despite the fact that the LW was broken by the time it arrived and some (not all) pilots preferred the B/C version whatever the P38 and P47 did is forgotten and the prettiest plane is handed history's crown.It is amusing to contemplate the mindset of an engineer that stated the Spitfire was over rated. I begs the question "Versus what"?
The only pilots who became aces in 109s did so against Spitfires, they gave thanks to God that they didnt encounter Hurricanes Dfiants Blenheims or Gladiators.I dont know much about the 109 but if it was similar to the Spitfire it must have been a stinker. I bet no one managed to even make Ace in the 109.
Go here: Top Ten Fighters at the outbreak of World War II and scroll down to the entry on the Spitfire and you will see what I mean.
Another great link same site is: Dismantling the Spitfire myth The Spitfire was a terrible gun platform because it was so twitchy and pilots that flew both it and the Hawker Hurricane much preferred the latter. Indeed the Hurricane had more kills.
The Hurricane was cheaper and quicker to build at a rate of about 2.5 Hurricanes to one Spitfire.
Later versions of the Spitfire cleared all of its initial teething problems but my whole point was it suffered from them in the first place, especially considering the fact that it had been in development pre-war.
Unlike most of us, he was there, he spoke to and worked with pilots of many of the types available. He retired here from Kaman Aircraft and Pratt & Whitney and had always remarked that the Spitfire was overrated and actually a rather poor platform in his own considered opinion. And he holds numerous patents related to aircraft design. His name was Einar Westdal if you want to look at the patent database for him.
I read, a LOT, and I have read probably 200+ books dedicated to WW2 aircraft. I also read about modern aircraft. And I have noticed over the years a constant refrain. Without any exception I can find every aircraft ever delivered during WW2 was initially underpowered or had no Super or Turbo chargers and therefor was restricted to lower level performance envelopes.
And it does not matter the year they were first delivered from 1938 all the way up to and including 1945. Now I expect bugs, design tweaks based on usage and testing. But underpowered? No. So why? In every case better engines were already available, costs were in many cases comparable, and by 1940 we already knew we needed 2 stage Supercharges to preserve performance at altitude.
Yet over and over again aircraft were delivered with underperforming engines, including all the favorites, the Mustang, Hellcat, Spitfire, you name it.
You know, Karl...if the Brits were smart, they could have purchased Bf109s long before the war started.I think we need a Soren button !
So the Spitfire, couldnt climb, was twitchy and unstable, good job it could turn well !
Oh wait we already had it proved to us that any 109 could out turn any spitfire at any speed or altitude.
Jeez what were we thinking building any Spitfires at all ?
Although by far the best allied aircraft the Brits (and others) had during the most critical time in Britain's history it could have been much much better from day one if the British aircraft industry had not been so rigidly locked in to WW1 thinking like fixed pitch wooden props and wood technology.
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